India has done the most to Tibetan people: President Sangay

By Lobsang Tenchoe

DHARAMSALA, March 28: Central Tibetan Administration(CTA) today released a music video titled ‘Thank You India’ and three sets of books at a press conference held at the Kashag Secretariat hall here in Gangchen Kyishong.

“The government and the people of India have done the most to the Tibetan people and every year, in all the formal and non-formal events, we always say ‘Thank you India’ in words, I think its very important that we demonstrate it in deeds,” the President of the CTA, Dr Lobsang Sangay said.

CTA President Dr Lobsang Sangay flanked by Finance Kalon Karma Yeshi (L) and Health Kalon Choekyong Wangchuk (R)

President Sangay further remarked that there is no disappointment over the government of India’s circular directing its leaders and functionaries to stay away from events planned for March-end and early April by the Tibetan administration in exile to mark the start of 60 years in exile of the Dalai Lama.

On the importance of holding CTA’s year-long pan India ‘Thank You India’ campaign, President Sangay said, “Whatever we do to this great country and the people of India is a lot less than what we should be doing. Like we always say, even as husband to wife or wife to husband or children to parents or parents to children, you should be saying thank you a lot. That will make your life better and especially our relationship with India is like parents and children.”

Citing it as a ‘sensitive time’ for India-China relations, the government of India has directed its ‘senior leaders’ and ‘government functionaries’ of both the Centre as well as states to stay away from the proposed commemorative events of the Tibetan administration.

While the circular was widely reported as a snub by the Government of India to appease China, the political head of the Tibetan people said he thinks otherwise. He said he had met with various officials in New Delhi after the circular was issued by the Government of India who assured him that India’s stand on Tibet and Dalai remains unchanged.

“There is no change in the Government of India’s stand on Tibet and the Dalai Lama. Therefore, Tibetans should not worry. The circular was issued with regard to the Indo-China bilateral meet in the coming months,” President Sangay said and concluded by saying that he is confident that CTA’s year-long pan-India ‘Thank You India’ campaign which will kick-off on March 31 will run smoothly.

Flanked by two of his cabinet ministers, Health Kalon Choekyong Wangchuk  and Finance Kalon Karma Yeshi, President Sangay  released three set of books, 1) India and Tibet: Ancient Ties, Current bonds, 2) Indo-Tibetan Relations: Shared Heritage, Shared Culture in Tibetan and English and 3) a Photo Journal ‘Kalachakra 2017’ and the ‘Thank you India’ music video performed and composed by artistes from the Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts to observe the 60th year of His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s arrival in India.

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